Meat packagers stress safety, branding and case readiness: packaging innovations offer consumer benefits that range from longer shelf life to grab-and-go convenience

Food & Drug Packaging, June, 2005 by Kate Bertrand

Meat packagers continue to innovate in areas ranging from packaged-meat processing to voluntary place-of-origin labeling. In addition, the movement to branded meats and case-ready packaging continues, with organic and natural meats playing a more prominent role.

For sliced meats sold through foodservice venues, Hormel Foods has developed a high-pressure processing (HPP) technique that uses water pressure to enhance food safety, extend shelf life and protect the meat's flavor, texture, appearance and nutritional value.

Hormel uses the HPP method, which it calls TrueTaste Technology, on filled, sealed pouches of Bread Ready pre-sliced meats. The product is sold to delis, grocery stores and restaurants.

According to Hormel, USDA-approved TrueTaste Technology kills more types of microorganisms than common industry processes. The company's process uses a compression tank filled with potable water to kill organisms such as e-coli, listeria and salmonella.

Hormel's data indicates the TrueTaste process extended the shelf life of sliced roast beef to 73 days, a significant improvement vs. thermally or chemically processed products. Because water is the processing agent, the technology generates no enzymatic activity or undesirable by-products in the meat.

Packaging for retail sales

Innovations in retail meat packaging continue to center on branded products, case-ready packaging and labeling that conveys the cooking and nutritional information consumers desire.

Data in the National Meat Case Study 2004 shows supplier-branded packaging grew to 50% of self-serve meat packages in 2004, up from 45% in 2002. During the same period, store-branded packaging decreased 10 percentage points.

The 2004 study was conducted by the Cryovac Food Packaging Div. of Sealed Air Corp. in partnership with America's Beef Producers (through the Beef Checkoff program) and the National Pork Board.

A further finding of the study was that supplier branding was more the norm for poultry than for pork or beef. Packages carrying brands such as Tyson, Perdue, Foster Farms, Hormel's Jennie-O Turkey Store and ConAgra's Butterball are a familiar sight for grocery shoppers.

However, more beef suppliers are starting to leverage their brands and create new ones. As an example, Hormel and Target Corp. reportedly teamed up to launch the Sutton & Dodge brand of premium steaks in case-ready packaging, for sale in SuperTarget stores.

More case-ready packs

Harris Ranch Beef Co. includes its brand mark prominently on case-ready packaging for products such as Harris Ranch Natural Beef; fresh seasoned products; and fully cooked, heat-and-serve entrees.

The company also launched a case-ready program in which it packages cuts of beef to look exactly as if the retailer's meat department had packaged them.

"A small chain of stores came to us wanting to reduce the labor in its meat department, so we are doing here in our plant what would occur at the store level: putting the product in a tray, putting conventional clear overwrap over it, and putting a weight and price sticker on it," says Bruce Berven, vice president of marketing at Harris Ranch.

He adds, "The goal is to produce packages that look just as if they had been created in the back room of that particular meat department. We weigh and price the packages with the retailer's price per pound and put a Harris Ranch label on it; it's branded as a Harris Ranch product."

The individual packages are packed in a modified-atmosphere master bag. At the store level, employees simply open the shipper and the bag inside, then stock the meat case.

A new line of case-ready fresh beef products from Swift & Co. also provides consumer-ready cuts. The cuts--which include brisket, back ribs, flank steak and chuck shoulder tender--are packed in transparent vacuum packages. According to Swift, the package provides up to 28 day of shelf life from date of pack. The retailer's meat department employees weigh the packages and affix weight/price stickers.

The transparent package offers product visibility, and the label on each package includes two consumer-friendly cooking options. These package characteristics address key consumer preferences.

Organic/natural meat follows suit

Organic and natural meat producers are coming onboard with case-ready packaging, as well. Coleman Natural Foods, the largest natural meat company in the U.S., recently introduced the Coleman Purely Natural line of fresh, fully cooked and frozen meats. The product line was developed for distribution through conventional grocery stores.

Coleman packages its Purely Natural ready-to-cook sausage in a modified-atmosphere package comprised of an expanded polystyrene tray with transparent film lidding.

The case-ready package offers convenience that consumers of natural/organic meats are not used to. Traditionally, they had to stand in line at the fresh meat case.

Now, "the consumer can go and grab it for themselves out of the meat case, instead of waiting for the flesh meat cutter," says Rob Siegal, director of new product marketing with Coleman Natural Foods.